Merck & Co Inc (MRK): Today's Featured Drugs Winner

Merck was a winner within the drugs industry, rising $0.49 (1.0%) to $48.62 on average volume

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Merck ( MRK) pushed the Drugs industry higher today making it today's featured drugs winner. The industry as a whole closed the day up 1.3%. By the end of trading, Merck rose $0.49 (1.0%) to $48.62 on average volume. Throughout the day, 12,724,780 shares of Merck exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 14,130,500 shares. The stock ranged in a price between $48.16-$48.70 after having opened the day at $48.22 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $48.13. Other companies within the Drugs industry that increased today were: Cardiome Pharma Corporation ( CRME), up 19.7%, Bacterin International Holdings ( BONE), up 13.3%, Epizyme ( EPZM), up 12.7% and Neuralstem ( CUR), up 10.2%.

Merck & Co., Inc. provides various health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, animal health, and consumer care products worldwide. Merck has a market cap of $140.5 billion and is part of the health care sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 32.3, above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 17.6% year to date as of the close of trading on Wednesday. Currently there are 5 analysts that rate Merck a buy, 1 analyst rates it a sell, and 8 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Merck as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, good cash flow from operations, expanding profit margins and increase in stock price during the past year. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had sub par growth in net income.